In the closet was a boy. A boy soon to be a man. The boy's name was Genesis. He had stayed in the closet without the slightest inch of movement for hours. This was his role in this stage.
Deep, yet quiet breaths could be heard if one put your ear right against the closet; but if you came within that proximity you'd be dead. And Genesis would just add another body to the list of many.
Genesis felt the sweat on the hilt of his dagger. It felt unfamiliar, he was used to more brazen contracts, contracts that did not involve hiding in a closet. But whatever kept him fed would do.
The room he was in was still pitch black.
'Was the target not supposed to come five minutes ago?'
Nervous was not a word that most would use to describe Genesis but when the Old Man's predictions did not come true, it meant carnage would follow. Grip on the dagger tightening, so much so the wood was starting to splinter. Genesis was nervous.
Breath held, he counted. If the target did not walk through the door in a minute. Genesis would break out the closet and slaughter anything he saw, hoping they were the target.
The Old Man was so cocky with his predictions that he never gave Genesis specifics, just instructions. Genesis thought it as stupid, but he thought many things as stupid.
In a few seconds the Old Man's pride was going to get anyone he saw killed. Genesis knew this was wrong, yet he still did it. A "natural killer" what they called him. He was fine with it. Words could not hurt him, just bury the nail into the coffin that was his mind even further.
Genesis became distracted in his thoughts. It was rare for him to think so existentially, with thoughts in his head about morality, pride and conviction. Genesis had none of those things. He thought of them as inefficient and just ways for people to justify actions. Genesis's actions needed no justification, he did what he did and it kept him alive.
When he heard the door creak open and the light click on, he escaped the chasm that was his mind. He saw the target through the slit in the closet. He expected him to be fatter, rich men always were.
He never knew the target's appearance until he saw them. The Old Man just told him instructions and he followed. He'd killed many innocent people because of that.
Genesis stared around the now lit room. It had an expensive looking painting, opposite of the closet. An orange couch sat right below the window. He ignored everything else in the room because he found his escape route. With plan in action he was prepared.
If one stared hard into the dark closet. You could see the boy, the boy who was to be a man. You could see his dark skin, his dark hair that was twisted into locks that reached just past the start of his spine. You could see his scars on his face, each little nick telling a story and each large gash telling a tale.
You could see a boy who killed before he learnt what syllables were. A boy who was rejected from the heavens because a maid spoke to him incorrectly. You could see a man, who was broken and used his brokenness to kill. You could see Genesis.
The target came into proximity. He was about to kill someone who did nothing wrong and Genesis felt nothing wrong. He looked at the target for the first and last time.
The target was male, he looked to be six feet. He was fairly muscular, but not as muscular as Genesis. He looked heavier than Genesis, meaning if they got in a real fight Genesis would have to outmaneuver him. But Genesis could still easily win. What was the issue was his Rectification but Genesis was always wary.
He wore beach clothing and judging by loud noises Genesis heard through the walls, he was in a party. If he was drunk it'd make it easier for the both of them.
Gazing with indifference at the dead man with orange palm trees on his rose shirt. The dead man who wore nothing but white underwear and sandals. The dead man preparing to court someone judging by his lack of clothing in his under area.
Genesis thought it as stupid, he thought many things as stupid. He hated parties especially when the girls tried touching him. Though he was handsome, the Old Man reminded them that he was still a boy. He'd rarely find girls his age and even when he did he had no interest in them.
The Old Man told Genesis that his Rectification was not that strong but he left out specifics. So Genesis still had to be wary. The Old Man had never been reliable but he had good reason not be, he was working with killers all the time.
After analysing the man and deducting that he was a close range fighter by the vivid description of him in a wrestling ring. Genesis also guessed his Chambers would most likely reflect that. After analysis was action.
A single thrust that would kill him quickly. The action that would further the abyss's grasp on his mind. He didn't care about losing himself.
What was there to lose?
When the target came closer he acted. He delivered his role swiftly and with nigh perfect precision. It wasn't perfect enough. The man dodged his strike and grabbed Genesis's arm through the hole he had made when stabbing. He yanked Genesis out sending him toppling into the painting completely ruining it.
'There goes some money.'
Genesis thought nonchalantly as he recovered and stood on his feet.
He held the light dagger in his hands with disappointment, for it had failed him. If he had a sword, saber or any weapon with a medium range the man wouldn't be grinning from ear to ear he'd be dead.
"I knew I heard some heavy breathing in the closet. You look more of a contractor than an assassin, I can tell by your facial expression you hold no grudge against me. Are you sure you don't just wanna quit? I pay good."
The man's voice was baritone and cocky, every rich male Genesis knew had that alike.
"Staying silent, I guess you're dead set on killing me. Before I kill you let me introduce myself, my name is Darwin. The owner of Enterpise. I'm sure you already know what it is we do."
Genesis knew what Enterpise was. It was a mass weapons manufacturing company. It was a reason the war was still raging on with such ferocity. Genesis heard that the former leader of Enterpise had recently died. All he left behind was this disappointment to keep his company alive. Nevertheless, Enterpise was still a massive company and killing the bastard in front of him would slow down the war and quicken his revenge.
"So as the son of Wane. The former leader of Enterpise. I vow on my honor I'll kill you."
Genesis rarely made facial expressions, but his right now was bewilderement in light of the fact that the man before him thought he could kill Genesis. He smirked as he primed himself.
In an instant he threw the dagger, but the man dodged it. The dagger lodged itself into the closet. Genesis wanted the man to dodge. The second after the man took his eyes off the dagger, Genesis was already in motion.
He held both hands together and slammed them down like a sledgehammer. The impact was supposed to kill the brat on contact, shattering his spine. But he was stronger than he looked. Genesis was able to indent his fist into Darwin's stomach twice before the man responded. Genesis crouched down anticipating an attack.
Darwin closed his eyes as he was getting beaten and when he opened them they were a radiant yellow with his brown pupil firmly highlighted. This was his Rectification, some sort of cheap hypnosis.
Due to the sudden change in his eyes. Genesis looked at his face for the first time in their scuffle, he wasn't handsome yet not ugly. He had sandy brown hair and a protruding nose. It made sense why his Rectification was the way it was. He probably used it as a way to attract attention since he wouldn't get any because he was average looking.
Genesis looked away from his face to make sure he was not hypnotised. Then he figured he could complete the contract with his eyes closed. Pitch blackness descended as he closed his eyelids.
Reaching out, he felt the dagger in his hand, unfamiliar but he could work with it. A gust quickly approached him from below, he lept up avoiding the kick. The panicked breath Genesis felt on his face was enough to tell him he was ready.
He let out a flurry of slashes, most directed at his face, they were shallow but clean enough to make Genesis think the job was done. Genesis had miscalculated the length of the dagger. Expecting Darwin's face to be in pieces Genesis opened his eyes.
Instead of the man's skull covering the closet door Genesis saw Darwin in all his glory crawling away from Genesis.
Genesis sighed in annoyance as he let the man speak. They were his final words after all. He saw it as unnecessary to reveal his voice to the target but the Old Man said it's a necessity, a ritual they'll stay fully devoted to.
"Any final words?"
Genesis's voice was deep and clear. The question one that was not essential.
The pathetic man crawled, blood staining his white underwear, towards a desk Genesis hadn't noticed before. He turned to Genesis with a prideful look as he hit an emergency switch underneath the desk.
The man spoke in panting breaths.
"I've got you now! The guards will soon be here and all exits will be closed. Father always said kill those who threaten to kill you no matter what. Now you're dead! Dead you bastard!"
Genesis was not alarmed yet not calm either, he simply took a sigh and spoke.
"An interesting choice of last words. But to each their own."
Genesis lunged towards the man with inhumane speed, grabbing the collar of his shirt. He lept towards the exit as he sheathed the dagger into the man's mouth. The bastard still refused to die.
As a metal shutter door came falling down Genesis lodged Darwin's head right under the window. He jumped out onto the roof of a house. He heard the breaking of Darwin's skull and knew the job was done. He grabbed the dagger the Old Man lent him and put his hood up to escape into the night.
After he took a step he saw an illuminating eye. It was Darwin's, Genesis decided to take it as eyes, especially ones like Darwin's, were extremely valuable. He could feed himself for months with the glowing eye. Smirking he put the eye in his pocket and ran along the rooftops.
It was the night, his time of day. As the breeze rushed against his eyes. His obsidian eyes teared up, it was strange to like but he did.
Running from rooftop to rooftop. Each roof he landed on from the rich side to the slums, was a step closer to home. He saw various constellations in the sky and he admired them. He wondered how something so bright could shine through the abyss of space.
While getting his thoughts in order he thought about the Old Man. He was Genesis's only father. The only one who accepted instead of rejected. The only one who knew Genesis, sometimes even better than he knew himself. Prideful as he was, Genesis was still extremely grateful to the Old Man and vice versa.
He had arrived. The place was still the dump he knew. Metal plating as the roof. Brick cracking, as surefire signs of water damage. The Old Man had so much wealth, but he chose to live here.
Genesis stood on the rooftop from home as he stared at the houses. Some were in even worse condition than his.
He came down and entered using the key he carried around his neck. Inside was a pitch black room. This was strange, the Old Man usually had a feast waiting for him. Hand reaching inside his pocket for the dagger, he scoured for any discrepancies in the dark room.
It was a mess, the room he stood in. It had littered toys and books from when he was younger. It also had sword, axes and armour because Genesis was no longer younger.
Waiting in the darkness of the night, the clock audible. Minutes passed until the sound of the clock hitting midnight finally enabled him to figure what this was about.
A host of people, familiar and unfamiliar came from the shadows and in unison said.
"Surprise!"
In the center was the Old Man. Genesis didn't know why he wanted to be referred as that but he did. The Old Man stood there with his belly almost unbuttoning his black shirt. He wore dark shorts and held a dark cake with eighteen candles. Covering his mostly bald head was a black fedora. The Old Man went all out dressing everyone up in Genesis's favourite color. He even used his Chamber to make sure Genesis wouldn't see them.
Genesis smirked, a subtle one, but he smiled nonetheless. The Old Man was the only person who could make him do that. He walked up to the Old Man, staring with gratitude.
In front of him was his business partner. In front of him stood his client. In front of him stood the first person to ever accept him. In front of him stood his father. In front of him stood a man named...
January.